Welcome to Picayune and enjoy taking this tour of Small Town America where I live.  

 A Great Place to raise a family!!!

                                                                   Picayune, MS Video Tour

                                                               Aerial Views of Picayune, MS.

                                                    Home of GODSPEED3 Christian Rock Band

Call Nettie Kennedy, Associate Broker located in Picayune, MS. to talk about relocating to My Small Town America……………at 601-590-4729   or email Nettie at nnetk@mypicayune.com

Reblogging this from Bob and Bonnie Horning. This article contains what I consider vital information on what we eat a lot of in our society..white flour and how it is made and the toxins and toxic process by which it is made. Do you and your family a favor…read all of this article and repost it everywhere you can.

Via Bob & Bonnie Horning (Homes and Land of Lancaster County):

Today I’m on my 2nd day of a 3 day fast and find this subject rather difficult to write about. There is a food that most of us consume that is so bad for us that some countries have outlawed it’s use. It’s bleached white flour… and most of what’s sold in the stores is also “enriched”. Enriched? That sounds good doesn’t it? Not when you see what they enrich it with.

All white bread is made with bleached white flour as are most of the baking projects we bake in our kitchens. Bleached flour which is how it becomes white is not bad the way it used to be made. The only way to bleach flour without using toxic materials is to spread it out and let the sun do it’s job for a few days. But that’s not how our bleached flour is made in our grocery stores that process would take too long and cost too much.

EVER WONDER HOW WHITE FLOUR WAS MADE?

Commercial wheat production is a study in pesticide application. Not only are the starting seeds treated with fungicide, the growing wheat is sprayed with hormones such as cycocel to influence production. More pesticides are added in the field, as the growing season progresses. After the harvesting of the wheat is done, the wheat grain or “berries” are stored in bins which have been coated with insecticides. If any bugs are still hanging around at that point, the farmer will then fumigate the grain.

It is from this pesticide soaked grain that commercial flour is made.

Once the milling process starts, more damage is inflicted. A wheat grain kernel is composed of three layers: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm layer. The bran is the outside layer where most of the fiber exists. Most of the nutrients and fats are in germ layer. The endosperm is the starchy middle layer.

The natural nutrition associated with whole grains exists only when these three layers are eaten together. Old time stone mills ground the flour slowly, and the resulting flour had all three layers mixed in. (This result is called “100 percent stone-ground whole-wheat flour”).

But in mass production flour mills, stone grinding isn’t efficient enough, so high speed, high temperature steel roller mills are used.

These high speed mills remove the bran and germ, and the resulting flour is made up of mostly the starchy endosperm layer.

Ironically, much of the bran and germ “waste product”, which is the most nutritious part of the grain, is sold as animal feed.

The resulting white flour contains just a fraction of the nutrients of the original grain, with the heat of the steel rollers also playing a role in the nutrient destruction.

THEN COMES THE WHITENING EFFECT- Bleached flour is just that… bleached.

Chlorine and Alloxan
Bleaching flour started in the early 1900s and was vehemently opposed. In 1906, government passed the Pure Food and Drug Act which prohibiting the interstate transportation and sale of adulterated food. The act defined adulterated food as that which is combined or packaged with another substance that adversely affects the quality or strength of the food; is substituted in whole or part by another substance; has had any essential component removed in whole or part; has been blended, coated, colored, or stained to conceal damage or inferiority; or has had poisonous or harmful additions made to it.

The legality of bleached flour went to the Supreme Court in 1910. At that time chlorine dioxide was not being used but nitrates. In 1914 “the Supreme Court rules in U.S. v. Lexington Mill & Elevator Company against USDA because the government has not shown a connection between nitrite residues in the bleached flour and the harm to humans that the residues were alleged to cause. While the Court is sympathetic to the Bureau of Chemistry’s efforts to protect the public from nitrites, it nonetheless states that the government had to show some relationship between the nitrite residues left in the flour and the harm it is capable of producing in humans. The Court states that the mere presence of such an ingredient is not sufficient to make a food illegal. After the case is settled, bleached flour is allowed in interstate commerce as long as it does not conceal damaged flour and is clearly labeled as “bleached flour”.

The flour manufacturers then subject the starchy flour to a chlorine gas bath.

The flour manufacturers use a form of chlorine gas to bleach and artificially “age” flour. The goal, of course, is a clean, white product. The chlorine gas reacts with the flour, oxidizing, whitening it and reducing the gluten.

But it also converts an dough additive called xanthine into a toxic substance called alloxan. The alloxan is an unintended byproduct.

So what is alloxan? Alloxan is a toxin which destroys pancreatic islet cells, resulting in diabetes. In fact, Alloxin is specifically used in research labs to induce diabetes in rats and mice for study purposes.

After the chlorine bath, we get nice, white flour completely devoid of any natural vitamins. And since all the natural vitamins have been destroyed, the bleached flour is mixed with synthetic vitamin and mineral supplements to “enrich” it. These synthetic vitamins are made from petroleum, elemental ores, bacteria, fungi, and ferrous iron, which is created from sulfate refined out of high sulfur crude oil.

ARE YOU SICK IN THE STOMACH YET? Here’s the kicker… Bleached White Flour Was Supposed to Be Outlawed. It is in Great Britain.

What can you do? One of the breads we consume the most in our home is Ezekiel Bread. It’s an actual recipe very close to what, as the name implies, was made in the old days before processing began. It really doesn’t taste like regular bread though. But short of switching to millet and whole grain type breads, you can look for organic whole grain breads. They are more of a beautique type of bread and will cost more no doubt. You can look for “Unbleached flour” or use whole wheat flour… milled by stone wheat flour is the best we can do in grocery stores. And I’ll warn you that wheat flour makes cookies and other baked goods taste different. Unbleached white flour is definitely a step in the right direction though to stay a little more healthy.

Although there’s much good fiber in breads the majority of bread just turn to sugar inside our bodies and should be kept to a minimum. Michael Geary, a food and finess expert once said that the well known food pyramid, the one they teach in our public schools would be better if turned upside down…. meaning the largest portions should be the top and the lowest portions should be the bottom… you really want to be healthy. That’s keeping the sweets, fats and oils to a minimum as well.

Article From BuyAndSell.HouseLogic.com | By: G. M. Filisko

While you’d like to get the best price for your home, consider our six reasons to reduce your home price. Home not selling? That could happen for a number of reasons you can’t control, like a unique home layout or having one of the few homes in the neighborhood without a garage. There is one factor you can control: your home price. These six signs may be telling you it’s time to lower your price.

1. You’re drawing few lookers
You get the most interest in your home right after you put it on the market because buyers want to catch a great new home before anybody else takes it. If your real estate agent reports there have been fewer buyers calling about and asking to tour your home than there have been for other homes in your area, that may be a sign buyers think it’s overpriced and are waiting for the price to fall before viewing it.

2. You’re drawing lots of lookers but have no offers
If you’ve had 30 sets of potential buyers come through your home and not a single one has made an offer, something is off. What are other agents telling your agent about your home? An overly high price may be discouraging buyers from making an offer.

3. Your home’s been on the market longer than similar homes
Ask your real estate agent about the average number of days it takes to sell a home in your market. If the answer is 30 and you’re pushing 45, your price may be affecting buyer interest. When a home sits on the market, buyers can begin to wonder if there’s something wrong with it, which can delay a sale even further. At least consider lowering your asking price.

4. You have a deadline
If you’ve got to sell soon because of a job transfer or you’ve already purchased another home, it may be necessary to generate buyer interest by dropping your price so your home is a little lower priced than comparable homes in your area. Remember: It’s not how much money you need that determines the sale price of your home, it’s how much money a buyer is willing to spend.

5. You can’t make upgrades
Maybe you’re plum out of cash and don’t have the funds to put fresh paint on the walls, clean the carpets, and add curb appeal. But the feedback your agent is reporting from buyers is that your home isn’t as well-appointed as similarly priced homes. When your home has been on the market longer than comparable homes in better condition, it’s time to accept that buyers expect to pay less for a home that doesn’t show as well as others.

6. The competition has changed
If weeks go by with no offers, continue to check out the competition. What have comparable homes sold for and what’s still on the market? What new listings have been added since you listed your home for sale? If comparable home sales or new listings show your price is too steep, consider a price reduction.

This part 4 in a 5 part series about Getting Your Home Sold. Below are links to the other articles:
Part 1: Keep Your Home Sale from Falling Apart
Part 2: 7 Tips for a Profitable Home Closing
Part 3: 6 Tips for Choosing the Best Offer for Your Home
Part 4: 6 Reasons to Reduce Your Home Price
Part 5: Fielding a Lowball Purchase Offer on Your Home

 Reprinted from HouseLogic with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.

I’ve been reading a lot of comments about the time turning ahead one hour and most of them have been grumbly.

Hi, this is a busy weekend for Picayune, Ms.     There is a fundraiser going on for “Pennies in the Park” to help refurbish the Community Park (Friendship Park) on Highway 11 just South of Picayune, MS.  

If you come out for an afternoon drive this weekend to my area here is a link to my office listings of Real Estate and Homes for sale in Picayune, Ms. Area…………http://www.picayunems-homes.com/778820.aspx?&&. 

Everyone is out picking up, mowing and raking leaves (they just finished my yard) and generally sprucing up from the rain storms and for Spring.  Don’t forget the clock moves forward one hour this Sunday (tomorrow) at 2:00 am.

Note that Melinda’s of Picayune, Ms has moved her great business over off Exit 6, of I-59 to the Paul’s Pastry Shop …. shopping center.  There are several great shops there, the bakery and the Marble Slab Creamery (delicious ice cream).  

East and West Canal Street and up and down Highway 11 have great shops, and then there is the Tea Room on East Canal Street @ Country Shabby Chic.    On down the street you can stop in at Amore’s and dine outside on their deck for one of their great sandwiches or fantastic salads.    Over on West Canal there are The Glass Porch, June Bugs and Galliano’s to name a few of the cute shops there.

And then there’s Hudson’s Treasure Hunt and Stage’s off exit 4 of I-59 where our Super Walmart, and Home Depot are located along with lots of delightful shops and eating places.   Come…experience Picayune, Ms…

                                             ”Small MS Town  With a Big Heart”!!!
                                                                                                                     ™

If your not familiar with the area, you might want to check with a Realtor, the local HomeBuilders Association,
and check local newspapers and print media for builders and projects.  Looking through the ads and reading the articles can assist you in learning which builders are active in the area, the types of homes they build, and give you a general idea on pricing. 
Once you have a list of contractors, visit homes they have built and talk with the owners.   Check with the State Board of Contractors to make sure they have an updated, valid license.   Read that states laws on New Construction.   Make sure the builder has permanent mailing address, a phone number, a pager or cell phone with an answering system.  You will want to be able to reach your contractor quickly and easily…especially in critical stages of construction.   Do they have a project manager?   What insurances do they carry.
Ask contractors on your list for the addresses of their recently built homes and names of homeowners that would be willing to talk to you.   Drive by on Saturday mornings when homeowners are likely to be outside doing chores or errands.  Introduce yourself and sy you

Stennis Space Center is our largest employer in the Picayune, Ms. Area.  The North Gate Opens into Pearl River County and is just 10 minutes from Picayune, Ms.

They just tested a new engine there today as covered in our local newspaper … The Picayune Item…see link to article below.

http://picayuneitem.com/local/x655594966/New-engine-tested-at-Stennis

Sometimes, life just hands us the inevitable: just when everything seems right with your home, something happens and you have to sell your dwelling.  No matter what your reasons are for selling, remember that now is no time to dawdle, the process of preparing a home for sale can take a month or more. So, here’s how to start:

1. Take a Fresh Look at Your Home

Your home looks great to you, but a buyer wants to see it since he and his family will be living in it — so take a fresh look at your dwelling. Hop in your car, drive around the block, and then scrutinize your home as a prospective buyer will see it for the first time. First, consider what’s called “street appeal;” does it need washing or painting? Does the driveway need repair work? Is the landscaping in good shape? Remember, be very critical; your buyer will be.

Next, pull into the driveway and take a good, hard look. Is the yard neat and trimmed? What about the view from the front yard? Then, walk inside and size up the interior as though seeing it for the first time. Take a tour and imagine what your real estate agent might say about each room, look into cabinets, open doors, check out the bathroom.

Then, make a mental note of the things that might put off potential buyers, along with another list of the things that first attracted you to the dwelling. Remember, the home’s become a great place for you, but a new buyer will see things that you don’t.

2. Clean Out the Clutter Before You Start to Sell

Before putting your home on the market, get rid of clutter in every area — closets, attic storage, kitchen cabinets, drawers, bath vanities, and shelves — everywhere. Remember, this is no time to be sentimental: if you don’t use it, lose it. Potential buyers are seriously put off by clutter, and most of us drag a lot more things through life than we really need.

Also, don’t forget the furniture and fixtures when getting rid of clutter — most of us put too much in too little space, which makes a buying prospect, think your home is too small.

Then, have a great moving sale with all the stuff you’ve collected and use the proceeds for paint or whatever other materials you need for repair projects. If you just can’t bear to part with some possessions, store them in the attic or some other place that’s out of sight to a potential buyer.

3. To Sell, Sell, Sell — Clean, Clean, Clean

After you’ve cleared out the clutter, it’s time to really clean. Have the carpets professionally cleaned, strip and polish the floors, scour the bathrooms, go over the laundry room, polish the furniture, scour out the cabinets, wash the windows and window coverings, and spiff up the ceiling fans and kitchen appliances. In short, clean everything.

Don’t forget the exterior; paint or power-wash everything that needs the work. Remember, this is a ceiling-to-floor, roof-to-foundation clean-up project.

4. Get More for Your Home: Repairs Pay Off

After you’ve cleaned the place to within an inch of its life, the next project is making all the repairs necessary to attract a buyer.

So, patch up the roof, touch up all the paint, repair the screens, spruce up the porch framing, and make your entry area really shine. Don’t forget to water the lawn and landscape beds, and take the time to trim, mow, edge and get rid of sick or dying plants. Inside, fix the grout in the bathrooms and on tile floors, adjust any doors that need it, fix any scratches on the walls, cover any stains, and be sure to fix any plumbing problems. Remember, do what your home needs before the first buyer appears at your door.

Also, it’s a good idea to get all this done before getting the real estate broker to make the first listing — a good agent will advise you on what needs to be done. Also, if you have friends willing to be brutally honest about what your home needs to sell, invite them to assess the fix-up needs.

There is, however, an alternative to the sweat equity you get from a total fix-up –but it carries a price. An “as-is” sale keeps you from doing all this work, but a buyer will assess about twice the price you would have paid for the repairs. Then, the buyer will deduct that amount from your asking price before making an offer.

5. Putting Your Home on the Market: Show It to Sell It

After you have cleaned, shined, mowed, and generally whipped your property into shape, it’s time to attract a buyer.

Regardless of who markets your home, you or a broker, there are other, small things you must do to attract buyers. For example, even if it’s bright daylight, open the blinds and turn on the lights. Also, open all the interior doors to make the home appear roomier. Be sure to remove all your kids and pets — they’re cute, but a prospect wants to see your home, not your pride and joy. In addition, make sure your pet’s litter pan is clean so the home smells clean and fresh, not like air freshener. Remember, you need to make sure your home is available to be seen by a prospective buyer with as little notice as possible. That means less than an hour, or even five minutes, if possible.

6. Get a Sense of the Market

Before you put your home on the market, take a weekend day to check out the competition: homes with similar prices and in similar neighborhoods. Remember, you don’t have to go out and buy new furniture just to look like that beautiful new model in the new development — what you want is the feel of that new model — clean, uncluttered, and fresh.

Remember, after location, the most important item to a buyer is a well maintained home. Many flaws can be overlooked if the buyer knows he can move in without a lot of trouble and expense.

Nettie Kennedy Returns To Gardner Realtors

Welcome Home Nettie!

Nettie Kennedy has been a licensed Realtor since 1996.  She chose real estate as it was a natural addition to her existing  career at the time, which was building homes an developing subdivisions with her late husband.  Her business was Kennedy Homes and Construction and had been operating since 1966. Nettie Kennedy was a Licensed Residential Builder in the State of Ms. until 2009 at which time she retire from the construction business completely.  “My special niche that I love is new home construction,” says Kennedy.  “My past experience is a huge bonus for me and my clients when they are shopping for or wanting to build a new home.”  In 1998, Kennedy’s son, Travis and daughter Karen assumed operation of the Kennedy Construction business. Travis is a licensed residential builder in Mississippi.  Karen is his chief administrator.

Nettie Kennedy worked for Gardner Realtors from 2000 to 2007 and therefore can really compare the benefits of working with a large real estate corporation to a private brokerage. Kennedy states “The tools , education, legal back up, and opportunities are outstanding with  Gardner Realtors, and I am very I excited to be a part of the  Gardner ‘family’ again.”

Over the course of her career Kennedy has been a multi-million dollar seller every year since 1996 except for 2010 when she partially retired.  She has achieved Life Time Membership in the Pearl River County Board of Realtors Million Dollar Club, earned top 10% of Realtors for a National Real Estate Network and the President’s Circle National Award from Coldwell Banker. She has also received many gold and silver sales achievement awards throughout the years. In 1998 she received a nomination to the “International Who’s Who of Professional and Business Women”.

“Having a natural love for the home industry, new construction and serving clients to assist them in finding and purchasing their perfect American Dream provides a rewarding life for me along with God and my family,” states Kennedy. “My family consists of a son and daughter, their spouses and 3 fantastic grandchildren.   My son is an engineer at Stennis Space Center, lead guitar for GodSpeed3 Christian Rock Band, a licensed Ms. Residential Contractor and owner of Kennedy Construction Co. My daughter is a Financial Analyst at Stennis Space center, played the piano winning many competitions growing up, and a fabulous dancer. Of course all the grandchildren are great too. We are a family that is busy, happy, and active in work, the arts, entertainment and church.”

Kennedy tells that in her spare time she loves to do pastel landscapes and portraits. You can view a few examples of her art work at www.nettiekennedy.com.

Nettie Kennedy has lived and worked in Pearl River County since 1965 and finds it a great place to raise a family and/or retire to.

A part time agent is not going to be there to dedicate their full interest in selling your home.  If you were in need of medical care, would you trust your body to a part-time doctor?  Your home is one of your greatest investments.  Don’t trust it to someone who isn’t working full time to market your home.

When selling your home there are no guarantees that the ultimate buyer of your home will have simply walked through the front door. In many cases you may have to bring your home to the buyer. Effective marketing will help ensure that your property receives maximum exposure to attract a ready, willing and able buyer in the shortest period of time. Ask your Realtor to list for you all of the ways he/she intends to market your home and on what time-line. Also, be sure to ask about the home being advertised on the Internet.

When you’re preparing your house for sale, remember the importance of first impressions. A buyer’s first impression can make or break whether they even want to go inside for a look. It is estimated that more than half of all houses are sold before the buyers even get out of their cars. With that in mind, be sure to stand outside of your home and take a realistic “fresh look” and then ask yourself what can be done to make the “curb appeal” improve. Also ask your Realtor’s opinion as to how to improve the curb appeal. It could make a huge difference in your final sales price.

Be upfront and disclose to your Realtor any problems with the property. The problems are going to be discovered anyway. A decade ago, health and safety issues were rarely a part of the typical real estate transaction. Today, however, it’s common for inspections relating to health, safety, and even environmental concerns to be a part of most sales contracts. Moreover, in many states, the seller must disclosure to the buyer any knowledge of existing property problems. In many cases, these issues have been or can be factored into the home’s listing price.

Remember that although people can be different in personality, they tend to be the same when it comes to expectations at someone else’s expense. In other words, a prospective buyer would probably like to see a perfect home from top to bottom, inside and out, when it comes to your home. Try to do as many of the following items as possible to improve the likelihood of your home sale in an expedient way.

You will be better served if you allow your Realtor to do their job without you there. Most potential buyers usually feel more comfortable if they can speak freely to the real estate professional without the owners being present. If people unaccompanied by an agent request to see your property, you should refer them to your real estate professional for an appointment.

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of selling a home is listing it at the correct price. It’s one of several areas where the assistance of a skilled real estate agent can more than pay for itself. Listing the home too high can be as bad as too low. If the listing price is too high, you’ll miss out on a percentage of buyers looking in the price range where your home should be. This is the flaw in thinking that you’ll always have the opportunity to accept a lower offer. Chances are the offers won’t even come in, because the buyers who would be most interested in your home have been scared off by the price and aren’t even taking the time to look.

By the time the price is corrected, you’ve already lost exposure to a large group of potential buyers. The listing price becomes even trickier to set when prices are quickly rising or falling. It’s critical to be aware of where and how fast the market is moving – both when setting the price and when negotiating an offer. Again, an experienced, well-trained agent is always in touch with market trends – often even to a greater extent than appraisers, who typically focus on what a property is worth if sold as-is, right now.

Fill out the Personal Household Inventory for each room. This is important for establishing the amount of declared valuation for the shipment and as a permanent inventory for insurance purposes. List, as nearly as possible, the year of purchase and original cost of each item. Attach any invoices or records of purchase to the completed inventory.

When working with a real estate agent, it’s critical that you have full confidence in that agent’s experience and education. A skilled, knowledgeable agent should be able to explain to you exactly why your home needs to be priced at a certain level – compared to recent listings and sales of homes similar to yours. Experienced agents also know exactly what the current pool of buyers are looking for in relation to particular styles and price ranges of properties. A skilled agent can recommend changes that will enhance the salability of your home, thus increasing the price – and/or decreasing the length of time before.

From Blog by Michelle Fradella 7/28/2010

Need more money, own your home, owe a low balance on your mortgage, over 65?  If you owe a small mortgage balance you have equity in your home you could be using to help you pay your bills, improve your home, take that trip you have always dreamed about.  Maybe you have medical bills you need help with.   It gets better though…on a Reverse mortgage you don’t pay on a loan and your estate handles the sale of the property one day.  You can actually purchase a home using a Reverse Mortgage, call me to find out the details. 

In Picayune, Mississippi we have one Senior area of homes for 55 and older, Berry Wood, a gated community called Hide Away Lake, and some brand new construction, small homes on one acre with 1300 to 15oo sf living area, priced $129,000 to $140,000.   Call Nettie a free showing.

The small homes, new construction, would work for first time homebuyers, would go FHA, and with interest rates the lowest in over 30 years, now is the time to put a great package together.  Picayune, Pearl River County, Ms. is less than one hour from New Orleans, La, and the Ms Gulf Coast.

Selling your home? Don’t fall into the trap that many homeowners fall into. And that is overvaluing their home. It’s an understandable mistake, but one that could prove costly if it slows down the sale and/or makes other homes look like a good value in comparison.

I’ve listed what I find are five of the most common mistakes sellers make. I’ve listed them here, along with how to avoid them in order to get the best price for your home in the shortest amount of time:

1. Over-pricing
   Based on an emotional assessment, it is easy to think your home is worth more than the current market may support. After all, it has been special to you and your family, and what about those little additions, changes and improvements you’ve made over the years? The question is, how important are those changes to a potential buyer? How up-to-date are they? Considering your home and other comparable homes on the market, how does your home really stand up to the others? There are many things to consider.

   To determine a reasonable listing price, work with a real estate professional familiar with your area. Ask for sales statistics on homes in the neighborhood including listing prices and actual sales prices, how long it took for the homes to sell, and government valuation comparisons. Be sure to ask your real estate professional for a market appraisal on your property. Talk to friends or neighbors who’ve recently bought or sold a home. Visit homes for sale in your area and compare what you see in terms of sales appeal.

   Remember that real estate markets can change quickly, and that comparables from several months ago may not give you an exact picture of the current market. Determine if there are more or fewer new listings at present. Are prices up or down? If it’s a soft market, there’s likely to be a larger gap between listing and selling prices. If homes are selling quickly with multiple offers, demand may be outstripping the current supply of available properties for sale. All of these factors will play a role in determining your listing price.

2. Negligent Housekeeping
   Take a good, objective look at the condition of your home. Is the paint fresh on walls and wood trim? Is the carpet clean? Are windows sparkling? Are tiles chipped and in need of repair? Does the front of the house have “curb appeal,” meaning is it inviting and attractive? Clean, well-kept homes with an updated appearance always have an advantage, and a little decorating appeal can go a long way. Be sure to gather up any clutter and put it away. Potential buyers don’t want to see your “messes.” They need to envision themselves living in the home.

   Consider that home developers spend hundreds of thousands of dollars “marketing” model homes that are picture- perfect with attractive wallpaper, carpet, furnishing and accessories for a reason. They create a mood, an ambiance, an overwhelming sales appeal that makes the potential buyer fall in love. Would-be buyers, after all, are looking for a “lifestyle” as well as shelter. Give it to them. You don’t have to buy new furniture to create charm, but you can put toys and clutter away, freshen up paint and carpet, make the most of window coverings, and add a few key accessories in order to send out welcoming signals. You want to put out the message that life will be good, better, best in your home!

3. Failing to Fix-It
   In keeping with the sales appeal message above, consider that new buyers are probably going to be happiest moving into a new home that is in perfect or near-perfect condition. If they have to fix the roof, a broken tile floor, the garage door, sagging wallpaper or just about anything, this may give them pause about buying. At the least, it may lower the value of the home in the prospective buyer’s mind. For best results, make sure any work on the home and the landscaping is done ahead of time. A model-perfect home is going to attract the highest price.
4. Failing to Identify Exclusions
   This can be a cause of contention just at a critical point in the sale. To avoid any problems, be sure to specify any special sales considerations or exclusions from the chattel list. Generally, anything permanently fixed to the house is a “chattel” or asset that stays with the home after the sale. If your grandmother’s antique chandelier is hanging in the dining room and you intend to take it with you, specify clearly that it is not included in the sale price.

For more information about selling your home, call Nettie Kennedy at 601-590-4729

The housing market has become much more competitive. Many communities are beginning to see homes remain longer on the market and the bargaining pendulum swing in favor of the buyer. This is called a buyer’s market, as the number of available homes outnumbers the buyers. As a seller, your challenge is to turn a buyer’s market to your advantage.

The right price is vital, because overpricing your home can cause you to eliminate potential buyers and lengthen the time that your home stays on the market. But equally important is making sure that you give your home a competitive edge by giving it creative eye appeal.

Many homeowners make the mistake believing they are selling “their home,” but once on the market your home is actually a product.  You need to create an environment the buyer can’t resist. In other words, do everything you can to make the home so attractive, charming, cozy, inviting, comfortable and exciting that a buyer will want to buy that lifestyle for himself.

This can be accomplished by making just a few improvements in your home’s presentation.  Here are some guidelines to make your property distinctive and memorable.

1.  Eliminate clutter. Have you ever noticed how model homes are perfect with no mess, clutter, or mass of personal belongings heaped about?  There should only be a few exquisite and well-placed accessories on tables, desks, chests, etc.  Also, clear kitchen and bathroom counters and furniture of everything except decorative accessories.  Put the personal things–cosmetics, toiletries, clothes, bills, papers, and homework—out of sight.  Tuck wastebaskets under counters or inside cabinets.  Clutter and personal belongings detract from the important features of the home.

2. Create a color theme. If you embark on any investment decorating, like painting, wallpaper, draperies or new furniture purchases, create a color theme that’s consistent.  Wall-to-wall carpeting should be the same throughout the house.  Neutral colors are best to please all tastes.

3. Rearrange the furniture. Just the slightest readjustments can make a big difference. Pull the furniture from against the walls to create a more intimate setting. Move furniture from one room to another. That extra armchair in the living room may create a cozy sitting area in the guest bedroom.

4.  Create custom spaces. Luxury master bathrooms, decorator kitchens, built-in cabinets, computer workstations, exercise rooms, and children’s play areas are the kinds of features that generate sales appeal.  Even if you don’t have these specific custom spaces, you can fashion them or suggest the potential for creating them.  Accessories, mirrors, plants and fluffy new towels can generate a feeling of luxury even in a plain-Jane bathroom.  Turn an extra bedroom into an exercise room if you’ve got the equipment, or a loft space into a child’s play area or hobby center.

5. Keep it clean and pristine. Dust, vacuum, mop and polish on a regular basis.  You’re not selling the furniture, but a high shine on wood furniture and floors can make a room sing.  Touch up nicks on walls and make sure the porcelain sinks and tubs and metallic fixtures shine.  Windows should sparkle.  Keep yards and landscaping neat and attractive.  Add color spots of flowers to perk up entryways and yards.

6. Consult with a professional. There are decorator professionals trained to “stage” a home for sale. They are able to offer an objective view of what buyers are looking for in your competitive market.  Depending upon location, neighborhood, demographics and price range, the special touches that turn on buyers may range from splashy master bathrooms and gourmet kitchens to children’s play areas or home offices.

The following is a list of some of the area attractions in and around Pearl River County, Mississippi:

Picayune is situated just inside the border of South Mississippi and South Louisiana. Named one of Mississippi’s Premium Retirement Cities, Picayune is less than one hour from New Orleans, La. and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. With a mild, temperate climate, Picayune is the perfect “Garden of Eden” of the South, with a long growing season for gardening, bird watching, outdoor sports enjoying the wildlife and natural beauty all around us in our local forests. For the Golfers we have Millbrook Golf Course and Pearl River Valley Golf Course, both 18 hole courses.

This area of South Mississippi offers great hunting for whitetail deer, wild turkey, dove, squirrel, and other small game. Plenty of fishing holes wait at Anchor Lake (a 400 approx. acre freshwater lake), Hide-A-Way Lake (a 200 approx. acre freshwater lake), Lake David, New Arbor Lake (a 200 approx. acre freshwater, champion Bass fishing lake, Old River (15000 approx. acres of State Protected Wildlife Reserve), the Hobolochitto (Boley River nickname, or numerous small streams and creeks. Saltwater fishing is less than an hour away on the Gulf of Mexico.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast also offers miles of white sand beaches, year round golf and the excitement of casino gaming. The Coast’s casinos are known for their excellent restaurants and accommodations, and book top entertainment from all over the world. If Casinos don’t attract you, many other Fine Cuisine Restaurants offer a gourmet’s choice of delicious foods ranging from local seafood to Mississippi Favorites and French Creole and French Cajun dishes.

Picayune residents never have to worry about finding a place to stay during Mardi Gras since New Orleans is just 40 miles South across Lake Ponchartrain (another boating and fishing area 15 minutes from Picayune). A trip across the bridge is all you need to enjoy everything this world-famous city has to offer. The French Quarter, Audubon Zoo, New Orleans Museum of Art and City Park, Aquarium of the Americas, numerous fine Art Galleries, Steamboat Cruises down the Mississippi River, Professional Football, the Jazz and Heritage Festival…..to name just a few of the perks of living so close to the “Big Easy”.

But you will see………..it’s so nice to be able to come back to the peace and tranquility of Picayune, Mississippi. Where neighbors socialize on front lawns and porches, kids play outside, and the quiet streets are perfect for an evening stroll. The award winning Crosby Arboretum is perfect for a relaxing outdoors outing, and there are numerous Civic Organizations and Local Clubs to join. Picayune is proud of their brand new Senior Citizen Building where Seniors meet daily and weekly for numerous events, crafts and dinners.

We celebrate many festivals here which include Poplarville’s Blueberry Festival where you will hear local story telling, music and feast on many yummy dishes using blueberries. The Picayune Street Fair in the spring and fall attracts visitors from all over the South come to Picayune for our local, Picayune Street Fairs, which feature entertainment, vendors’ booths, special store promotions, food, and fun for all.

Christmas brings the Christmas Pilgrimage to Fine Homes in the Area, The Christmas Parade, and entertainment by local organizations. Right after Christmas, we have our local Mardi Gras parade which has taken on a little bit of that New Orleans flavor, with participants on the floats throwing trinkets and candy. And just wait until you go to our Local County Fair in the fall in Poplarville, with farm animal exhibits, a rodeo, art competition, many exhibit booths, and more food!!!!

The local Pearl River Art Club hosts a large Art Show and competition each spring which attracts Artists from everywhere in this Southern Region. It is a juried show and has great participation from local businesses and Artists.

Pearl River Community College offers a wide variety of courses, and Senior Citizens can take classes for FREE, on a space available basis. The College also hosts a wonderful spring show, The Pearl River Extravaganza, where local, gourmet Southern Chef’s serve their specialties, great entertainment and a wonderful auction are held.

Add to all the above our famous Stennis Space Center (NASA) testing and research center, with a wonderful new visitor’s center being built, and you can see……we have some really wonderful and interesting educational opportunities also.

Many retired Senior Citizens have moved to our area and the State of Mississippi because they can purchase more home for their dollars spent, and their retirment is not taxed in Mississippi!!

So, give Nettie a call for a Free Relocation Package, to ask some questions, or stop by for a cup of coffee and a chat…….Y’all Come On Home To Picayune, Ms.!!!!!